With an abiding belief in good female families, Dr. Chris and Patricia Purdy undertook the breeding of Sharp Humor, the New York-bred who is scheduled to start in Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

Sharp Humor, winner of the Grade 2 Swale Stakes earlier this year, finished second to the undefeated Barbaro last out in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.

He is owned by Purdedel Stable, the partnership of the Purdys, and Chicago real estate developer Ed Edelberg.

Sharp Humor is a son of Distorted Humor out of Bellona, by Hansel.

The legacy of renowned Maryland breeder Allaire duPont, who died this past January at age 92, carried on at Pimlico's Spring Festival of Racing last weekend.

Maryland-breds from one of the oldest and most accomplished families developed over the years at Mrs. duPont's Woodstock Farm in Chesapeake City finished first and second in the leadoff event in the Spring Festival program, the Country Life Farm Stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Jammed parking lots and heavy pedestrian traffic in and around the sales barns indicated early on that business would not be tailing off at the Ocala Breeders' spring sale of 2-year-olds in training. This was the first non-selected sale of 2-year-olds in training on the Florida calendar and is ordinarily a good barometer of the middle market. With three of the sale's four days complete through Thursday, the 2006 OBS spring sale should go in the books as "the best ever," according to the OBS general manager and sales director Tom Ventura.

If success in Thoroughbred racing and breeding lies somewhat in the level of enthusiasm and passion an owner has, then Stuart Hyman is going to be a well-known name in racing circles soon.

Hyman, 42, is the epitome of a student of the game, as he spends hours reading pedigree pages and racing periodicals. He is well versed on stallions and their fees and has no trouble reciting several generations of Thoroughbred bloodlines.

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s April 2-year-old sale hit a high point Thursday at its next-to-last session when Ahmed Zayat paid $460,000 for a colt by Songandaprayer.

That easily outpaced last year's sale-topping price of $375,000 for Steppenwolfer, now a Kentucky Derby contender owned by Robert and Lawana Low.

The $460,000 sale leader at Thursday's session is out of Island Lake, a winner by Meadowlake. Eisaman Equine, agent, sold the colt, who is currently named Lake Island. He is a half-brother to the winners Campo Lago, Sharp Park, Rocket's Legacy, and Lake Fortune.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's April 2-year-old sale continued Wednesday in Florida, and so did the financial gains for the auction house.

Wednesday's top lot at the second of four sessions was a $275,000 Storm Cat colt purchased by Stinson and Farr Farms. Woodside Ranch, agent, sold the colt, a son of the unraced Gone West mare Western Eternity. He worked an eighth in 10.60 seconds at the April 20 preview.

The hot market for juveniles appeared to be having some trickle-down effect at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co., which opened its four-day April juvenile sale Tuesday in Ocala, Fla.

The session ended with the sale of 187 lots for $6,322,500, with the gross receipts well up from last year, when 205 sold for $5,323,500. The opening-day average also rose, to $33,810, as compared with $25,968 last season.

LAS VEGAS - The pace scenario for the Kentucky Derby is quite clear. Sinister Minister will try to lead the field on a merry chase through suicidal early fractions, setting the race up for a closer who will relish both the pace and 1 1/4 miles.

Multiple graded stakes winner has been retired from racing and will likely begin his stud career in 2007.

A 5-year-old Miswaki horse bred and owned by Tracy Farmer, Sir Shackleton won three graded races in his three-season career, most notably the Grade 2 Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship Handicap at Gulfstream last year. He leaves the track with $1,051,500 in earnings from a record of 7-2-3 from 20 starts.

Five juveniles shared the fastest eighth-mile time of 10.40 seconds Saturday at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's under-tack show in Ocala, Fla.

The Saturday under-tack show was the last of four preview days in advance of the OBS April 2-year-old sale, scheduled for Tuesday through Friday. The horses working on Saturday were hip numbers 937 to 1246.